1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a membrane eraser (hereinafter, called an ophthalmic treatment tool) and, in more detail, to a new instrument which is useful for removing proliferative membranes in a treatment for proliferative vitreoretinal disorders.
2. Description of the Background
A continuing challenge to vitreoretinal surgeons is the separation of proliferative membranes from the neurosensory retina without injury or harm to the neurosensory retina in the treatment for proliferative vitreoretinal disorders. For such a treatment, the removal of proliferative membranes from the surface of the retina is required in a wide variety of pathologic conditions and surgical situations. Various intraocular picks and intraocular forceps have been previously used for the removal of proliferative membranes.
However, the way that proliferative membranes are removed by the above conventional instruments may carry the risk of causing damage to the retina at all times. Besides, there is a problem as follows. That is, "immature proliferative membranes" seen in proliferative vitreoretinal disorders may be friable, difficult to peel off as films, and often cannot be sufficiently removed from the surface of the retina, so that the unremoved or remaining proliferative membranes can be the source of subsequent reproliferation and thus the likelier it become that the reproliferative membranes again require the removal thereof as time elapses.